


Here Be Dragons

by Elsinore_and_Inverness



Category: Discworld
Genre: Childhood, Gen, swamp dragons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25824250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsinore_and_Inverness/pseuds/Elsinore_and_Inverness
Summary: Havelock has just arrived in Ankh-Morpork for the first time.Sybil has a sword.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Here Be Dragons

**Author's Note:**

> The dragons wings were clipped long before Sybil rescued her, just to be clear

It was more like Fioritura than Genua, he decided, kicking a piece of broken... something... possibly a brick, possibility a roof tile or fossilized croissant... down the street. 

He was carrying a shopping bag containing soap and the corniest postcard he could find, because he knew it would entertain his aunt. It said “Greetings from Ankh-Morpork, Where Even The River Doesn’t Want To Leave”

Did people really say “greetings”? He’d only seen the word used by outer space aliens in books.

Approaching the Guild he saw there was a girl standing in front of the door. She was holding a sword and shouting. As he approached the door she put her finger to her lips and loudly said “Shhh!”

“But you’re shouting,” he said.

“And you’re interrupting.” The girl returned her attention to the roof. “There’s a dragon up there.” She said in a stage whisper. A real stage whisper, the boy recognized, modulated to avoid vocal strain when you have a song or a monologue coming up in the next scene.

“Dragon?” he asked.

She pointed at a dark shape between the small chimneys in the roof.

“Allora, a dragon. Un piccolo drago. Can he fly?”

“Not this one. Her wings are clipped. She ran across the rooftops.”

“You are trying to get her down from there?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you have a sword?”

The girl pointed at the sign that said “Guild of Assassins.”

“Yes. But how do you have a sword? I don’t have a sword.”

The girl drew herself up to her full height, which was at least six inches taller than the boy, who was probably the same age. “I am Lady Sybil Ramkin, heir to the Ramkin Estates.”

The boy waved. “Lord Havelock Vetinari, heir to a title, a motto and my wits. Want me to climb up and get the dragon?”

“If you can do that, I can do that easier. You’re only little.”

“True, but you have a sword. The rescuer with a sword must defend the rescuee. Also I know the routes up the walls.” This last part was a lie, but he could calculate the best path up the wall for someone his height.

The boy put down the shopping bag and scrambled up the wall, finding the tiny footholds that he was fairly certain had been intentionally chipped into the stone. Then he scrambled back down with the dragon over his shoulders.

He handed the animal to Lady Sybil, making a face. “These things smell awful.”

Sybil ignored him, cradling the dragon. “You’re alright now,” she cooed. “Don’t have to be afraid.”

Havelock bowed. “Pleasure doing business with you, my lady.” 

Then he picked up his shopping bag and opened the ajar door of the Guild with his foot. 

Definitely not like Lilith Tempscire’s Genua, he thought. In Genua if you rescue someone’s pet they’re required to offer a reward or cryptic advice.


End file.
